Don’t Open the Door is the second book in Allison Brennan’s Regan Merritt series. While it works as a stand-alone, the background information in Sorority Murder prepares one for the events occurring in Don’t Open the Door. In this installment, Brennan gives her readers a gripping and suspenseful read with a fitting conclusion.
A child is shot while playing video games at home. His mother will stop at nothing to find out who did it—and why. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Title: Don't Open the Door
Author(s): Allison Brennan
Series: Regan Merritt #2
Also in this series: The Sorority Murder
Published by MIRA on January 24, 2023
Pages: 368
Genre(s): Suspense, Thriller
Source: Netgalley
Format: eArc 
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
Rating: 
Series Rating:
After their ten-year-old son, Chase, was senselessly murdered, Regan's life unraveled. Her corporate lawyer husband, Grant, blamed the death on Regan’s work as a US marshal. Unable to reconcile their grief, they divorced, and Regan quit her job and moved away.
Now she's back after a voice mail from her former boss Tommy said he had important news to share about Chase’s killing. Regan is stunned to learn Tommy is dead too. When she reaches out to Grant, his panicked reaction raises her suspicions. Then a lawyer with ties to her ex also turns up murdered, and the police make Grant their top suspect.
Unsure of his guilt or innocence, Regan risks everything to find Grant before the police do so she can finally get the answers to all that has haunted her since losing Chase. But the truth is not even close to what she imagines—and now she fears she has no one to trust.
Former US Marshall, Regan Merritt, mourns the loss of her son, Chase, who was murdered ten months ago. Her son’s murder, coupled with the end of her marriage, led to her quitting her job and returning to her roots in Arizona. The change aided in her healing process, however a call from her former partner, Tommy, opened old wounds. She had no plans to return to Virginia. However, the news of Tommy’s murder changed her perspective. She returns, determined to find justice for Tommy and her son, Chase.
Sorority Murder gave readers a brief look in to Reagan’s past and it left the reader with several questions regarding said past. Well, Don’t Open the Door provided the answers to those questions and more. Regan is resilient, meticulous, determined and a no nonsense individual. All of which made her good at her job as a US Marshall. She is not the type of woman to have emotional outbursts, which didn’t go down well with her ex. I had an interesting time following her journey of discovering the truth. She is one tough cookie and not a woman to mess with.
Regan’s ex vexed my spirit. Despite the evidence staring him in the face, he refused to accept it. His actions only helped to make the situation worse and bringing unnecessary danger to their doorsteps.
The pacing, the twists and the suspenseful scenes pulled me into the story. The story me guessing with every page turn. There was a point where story I felt scared for a particular witness. She was quite smart, and I hoped she would survive the danger following her. The investigation followed many paths, and it was interesting seeing them all merge into one big conclusion. It made me happy to see Regan getting the closure she needed despite the pain endured during the journey.
Overall, Don’t Open the Door was a captivating story with engaging characters! I am looking forward to more of what Brennan has to offer.
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About Allison Brennan
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
